Around the Bay Food and Wine Taste Trail

Two peninsulas, one long day. This Melbourne day trip links the Bellarine and Mornington peninsulas with wine, beer, lunch, coastal views, and a Port Phillip Bay ferry ride. I like the smart route design: you see both sides of the bay instead of spending the whole day in one wine district.

I also like the mix of stops. The tour gives you wine tastings at Scotchmans Hill, lunch at Jack Rabbit Vineyard, a beer paddle at St Andrews Beach Brewery, and time for Geelong, Arthurs Seat, and the famous bathing boxes. The main drawback is the pace. Ten hours covers a lot of ground, so you get an excellent introduction rather than a slow, intimate winery day.

With a listed price of $157.08 per person, the tour offers good value if you plan to use the ferry, lunch, transport, and tastings. Pickup and drop-off from central Melbourne locations make the day simple, though a full vehicle, long driving time, and limited time at each stop may not suit anyone who prefers to linger over every glass.

The best parts of this bay-crossing day

• Port Phillip Bay ferry ride: Travel between the Bellarine and Mornington peninsulas while enjoying a Devonshire tea and watching for dolphins.
• Two very different food and drink regions: The route lets you compare Bellarine Peninsula wine country with Mornington Peninsula beer and coastal scenery.
• Lunch at Jack Rabbit Vineyard: Eat at a vineyard restaurant known for broad views and a local favorite dining setting.
• Scotchmans Hill tasting: Sample Bellarine wines in an old French provincial barnhouse among the vines.
• St Andrews Beach Brewery: Taste several beers at a brewery set in a former horse training facility.
• Murrays Lookout and the bathing boxes: Finish with classic Mornington Peninsula views and one of the area’s most recognizable beach sights.

Why the route works so well

The clever idea here is geography. Port Phillip Bay curves around Melbourne, with the Bellarine Peninsula on the west side and the Mornington Peninsula on the east. Reaching both in one day would be awkward without organized transport, a ferry crossing, and a driver who knows how to keep the schedule moving.

You begin on the Bellarine Peninsula, then cross the bay by ferry before continuing through the Mornington Peninsula. That gives you changing scenery throughout the day: Geelong’s waterfront, vineyard country, open bay views, a former horse property, high lookouts, and colorful beach huts.

The day starts at 8:30 a.m. and runs for about 10 hours. That early start is useful because the itinerary has several substantial stops, but it also means you should arrive ready for a full day out. There is no need to drive after the tastings, which is one of the tour’s biggest practical advantages.

The group can reach a maximum of 21 people. That is larger than a private wine outing, but still small enough for a shared minibus-style experience rather than a huge coach tour. The air-conditioned vehicle matters, especially on a long day that includes several road sections.

Geelong Waterfront gives you a gentle start

The first stop is Geelong Waterfront, where you have about 30 minutes to walk along the esplanade and take in the sea air. It is a simple opening, but a useful one. You get your bearings, stretch your legs, and see a waterfront city before heading into the wine country.

Do not expect a long guided visit or a major attraction here. The value is in the short pause. After pickup and the drive from Melbourne, a walk beside the water is a more pleasant beginning than rushing straight into the first tasting.

This is also a good moment to take a few photographs and settle into the day. The schedule becomes more food and drink focused afterward, so I would use this stop for fresh air rather than trying to pack in too much sightseeing.

Scotchmans Hill puts Bellarine wine first

Scotchmans Hill Winery is the first tasting stop, with around 30 minutes at the property. The setting is part of the appeal: an old French provincial barnhouse surrounded by vineyards, with views across the Bellarine Peninsula.

The tasting includes wine, and it helps establish the character of this part of the region before lunch. If you enjoy comparing local wines, pay attention to the difference between tasting in a vineyard setting and drinking a glass with a meal. The stop is short, so you will get a sample rather than a long winery education.

That time limit is worth keeping in mind. You should not book this expecting a private cellar-door session or a leisurely afternoon among the vines. Instead, it is a well-placed introduction that gives you a taste of Bellarine wine without taking over the entire day.

Jack Rabbit Vineyard combines lunch and the view

Jack Rabbit Vineyard is the main food stop, with about an hour for lunch. The property is known for its wide views and its vineyard restaurant, a place that has become popular with locals as well as visitors.

Lunch is included, which makes the price easier to justify. You are not simply being driven from tasting to tasting and left to buy food along the way. The meal gives the day a proper pause, and the setting adds something beyond the plate.

The tour also includes a glass of wine at Jack Rabbit. That is a useful detail for anyone deciding how much tasting is built into the day. You receive wine at Scotchmans Hill, a glass with lunch, and beer later at St Andrews Beach Brewery.

An hour should be enough for a relaxed meal, but not for a long restaurant afternoon. If you like to browse, take photographs, and sit over lunch without watching the clock, this may feel brief. Still, placing lunch at a vineyard restaurant is one of the tour’s strongest choices.

The Queenscliff ferry turns transport into sightseeing

At Queenscliff, you board Searoad Ferries for a 45-minute crossing of Port Phillip Bay. A Devonshire tea is included, and you can watch the water and keep an eye out for dolphins.

This is the point that makes the tour more than a standard winery outing. The ferry is not just a way to change regions. It breaks up the road travel and gives you a proper view across the bay, with the added pleasure of being outdoors on the water.

The ferry may also be the most weather-sensitive part of the day. On a clear day, the crossing should be a memorable change of pace. Wind or poor weather can affect how much time you want to spend outside, so bring a light layer even if Melbourne began with sunshine.

The tour requires good weather. If conditions force a cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund. That policy is reassuring, but it also tells you that the bay crossing is an important part of the experience rather than a minor extra.

St Andrews Beach Brewery changes the mood

After the ferry, the tour moves to St Andrews Beach Brewery on the Mornington Peninsula. The brewery occupies a former world-class horse training facility, giving the stop a character that differs sharply from the vineyard visits.

You receive a beer paddle tasting, and there is an opportunity to watch the brewers at work. The stop lasts around 45 minutes. It is long enough to sample several beers and see the place, but not long enough for a full brewery tour or extended meal.

This balance will depend on your taste. If you enjoy both wine and beer, the brewery adds welcome variety and keeps the day from becoming one long sequence of cellar doors. If you booked mainly for wine, you may find the beer stop less appealing. One past suggestion was to replace it with another winery, but the tour operator keeps the brewery as part of its mix.

I think the beer stop earns its place because the tour is called a food and wine trail, but it also includes beer and aims to show two different local drink producers. The converted-stable setting, beer paddle, and chance to see the brewing area give you a different kind of regional experience.

Arthurs Seat brings the big view

The next stop is Arthurs Seat, specifically Murrays Lookout, with about 30 minutes to enjoy the panorama. From here, you can look across Port Phillip Bay toward Melbourne.

This is the tour’s best visual payoff. After a morning of vineyards, lunch, and a ferry crossing, the lookout gives you the scale of the bay and helps connect the two peninsulas you have visited.

The stop is brief, so you should focus on the view rather than expect a long walk or a full Arthurs Seat visit. Weather makes a real difference here. Clear conditions can offer a broad view across the water, while cloud or haze may reduce what you can see.

Even so, the lookout is a smart final sightseeing stop. It gives the day a sense of place, not just a list of tastings.

The bathing boxes provide a colorful finish

The last listed stop is the Mornington Peninsula’s bathing boxes, with about 30 minutes to see these distinctive beach huts. They are one of the area’s best-known symbols of summer, set beside beaches that locals use as well as photograph.

This is a short, easy sightseeing stop rather than a beach day. You will have time to see the boxes and take pictures, but the schedule does not suggest a swim or extended time on the sand.

The bathing boxes also offer a nice contrast with the earlier winery scenery. They are bright, coastal, and unmistakably tied to the Mornington Peninsula. If you want a classic image from the region, this is the place to take it.

The tour ends after this sightseeing section with drop-off at central Melbourne locations. Exact pickup points are not detailed here, so check the available central meeting locations at booking.

What the $157.08 price really includes

At $157.08 per person, the value depends on how you use the included parts. The package covers an air-conditioned vehicle, lunch, wine at Scotchmans Hill, a glass of wine at Jack Rabbit, beer tasting at St Andrews Beach Brewery, the ferry, Devonshire tea, and all listed fees and taxes.

That is a substantial bundle for a day outside Melbourne. You would otherwise need to arrange transport across two peninsulas, pay for fuel or a driver, buy the ferry crossing, organize tastings, and find lunch. The tour also removes the problem of drinking and driving.

The value is strongest for anyone without a rental car. It is also good for couples or friends who want a broad sample of the region without planning a complicated route. It is less compelling if you already have a designated driver, want to spend several hours at one winery, or care more about premium tastings than variety.

Snacks are not included. Lunch and Devonshire tea are covered, but you should not assume every food purchase during the day is part of the price. A small personal snack may be sensible for the long schedule.

Guides can shape the whole day

The guide matters on a route with so many moving parts. Gary received particular praise for his enthusiasm and for making the day feel informed and easygoing. Margaret was noted for helping everyone feel comfortable and relaxed, while Brooke was warmly received as a pleasant guide.

Kyle was also praised for being friendly and well informed about the regions, with enough time at the stops to enjoy the scenery. These details matter because the tour is not only about wineries. The guide handles pickup, timing, commentary, ferry coordination, and the transition from one side of the bay to the other.

The guide’s style may vary from day to day, but the strongest pattern here is a relaxed, welcoming approach. That is important in a group of up to 21 people, where a rushed or disorganized leader could make the schedule feel much tighter.

Who should book this experience?

I would choose this tour if you have one free day in Melbourne and want a broad introduction to coastal Victoria’s food and drink country. It suits couples, friends, solo visitors, and small groups who enjoy tasting but also want scenery and sightseeing.

It is especially useful if you want to visit both the Bellarine and Mornington peninsulas without renting a car. The ferry crossing gives the day a memorable structure, and the combination of wine, beer, lunch, and lookouts keeps the experience varied.

You may want another tour if you are a serious wine collector seeking long tastings, cellar-door conversations, or several hours at one estate. The same applies if you dislike group schedules or have little interest in beer. The itinerary is full, and the tour works best when you accept that each stop is a sample.

The experience has a 4.8 rating from 27 reviews and a 100 percent recommendation figure. Those numbers point to a strong, consistent experience, though the smaller review count means I would still judge it by the route and included value rather than by the rating alone.

Practical tips before you go

Wear comfortable shoes for the Geelong waterfront, lookout, and bathing-box stops. You do not need hiking gear, but the day includes several opportunities to walk, stand, and move between the vehicle and attractions.

Keep your phone or camera ready for the ferry and Murrays Lookout. Dolphins have been seen from the ferry, and kangaroos have also appeared during the day, though neither sighting is guaranteed.

Bring a light layer for the ferry. Conditions on the bay can feel different from those inland, and the tour requires good weather to operate.

You may also want to eat a modest breakfast before pickup. Lunch is included, and Devonshire tea is provided on the ferry, but snacks are not part of the package.

Book ahead if your Melbourne dates are fixed. The tour is booked on average 57 days in advance, which suggests that popular dates can fill well before your visit. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations or changes inside that window are not accepted for a refund.

Should you book the Around the Bay Food and Wine Taste Trail?

Book it if you want one efficient day covering both sides of Port Phillip Bay, with meals, tastings, transport, and sightseeing already arranged. The ferry crossing, Jack Rabbit lunch, Scotchmans Hill wine, and St Andrews Beach beer create a varied day that feels more substantial than a basic winery shuttle.

Skip it if your ideal wine day means lingering at one estate or choosing every tasting yourself. For most people with limited time in Melbourne, though, this is a strong-value regional sampler. The route is busy, but it gives you a real sense of the Bellarine and Mornington peninsulas in a single, well-packed outing.

FAQ

How long is the Around the Bay Food and Wine Taste Trail?

The tour lasts approximately 10 hours.

What time does the tour start?

The listed start time is 8:30 a.m.

Does the tour provide pickup and drop-off?

Yes. Pickup and drop-off are provided from central locations in Melbourne.

How many people can join the tour?

The maximum group size is 21 travelers.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch at a vineyard restaurant is included.

Which wineries are included?

The tour visits Scotchmans Hill Winery and Jack Rabbit Vineyard.

Is wine tasting included?

Yes. Wine tasting at Scotchmans Hill and a glass of wine at Jack Rabbit are included.

Is beer tasting included?

Yes. Beer paddle tasting at St Andrews Beach Brewery is included.

Is the ferry ride included?

Yes. The 45-minute Searoad Ferries crossing from Queenscliff includes admission and Devonshire tea.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. If bad weather or an insufficient minimum number of participants causes cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund.